Shoe soles catch dirt, mud and other material, which is especially prevalent in many underdeveloped countries that have no infrastructure for cleaning streets or even keeping garbage off the streets. In addition, many places do not have sidewalks, and there is no choice but to walk in the street and step in accumulations of germ-infested piles of various materials. Tracking dirt and germs into the house (or hotel room) can be hazardous to the occupant's health, and in particular it can be a serious health issue where children crawl and play on the floor.
In addition, the soles can greatly affect the overall life of shoes. For example, leather soles can crack and pull away from shoe stitching. Keeping the soles of shoes clean and in good repair help to avoid stains, dirt, and damage to the shoes.
Current methods to clean the shoe soles include running water over the soles in a sink and drying with a towel. However, this can create a mess in the sink and can be a health hazard to the person cleaning the shoes as the dirty water runs over hands, and in particular if an open wound on the hands comes into contact with the dirty water it may lead to an infection.
Shoe brushes are generally used to clean the uppers of the shoes and are not suitable to clean the shoe sole and to dislodge material within the treads. Another shortcoming of the existing brushes is the inability to pack dirty brushes within luggage when traveling. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved device for cleaning a shoe sole.